Feel glove with flap holddown



Jan. 24, 1967 L. SLIMOVITZ 3,299,441

FEEL GLOVE WITH FLAP HOLDDOWN Filed April 28, 1966 Morris L. Slimov/fz INVENTOR.

Y @Mm WM 3M6]! '1 3,299,441 FEEL GLOVE WITH FLAP HOLDDOWN Morris L. Slimovitz, Morris Manufacturing Co.,

P.O. Box 219, Newbern, Tenn. 38059 Filed Apr. 28, 1966. Ser. No. 545,978 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-158) The present invention generally relates to an improved and novel mitten or glove of the type generally known as a feel glove or mitten which includes a palm opening which is slit-like in construction to enable a finger or fingers of the hand to be extended through the opening in order that the wearer of the glove or mitten may use his fingers to beneficially employ the sense of feeling in the fingers thus enabling the wearer to perform operations which could not normally, be performed when wearing gloves or mittens. For example, hunters frequently wear gloves or mittens and in order for them to properly manipulate the trigger of the gun, it is. necessary for the glove to be removed when wearing a conventional glove or mitten. When wearing a feel glove or mitten, it is only necessary that the fingers be projected through the opening in the palm of the glove or mitten so that the fingers may be used to manipulate the trigger without removing the glove thereby enabling the hand to be retained in a warm and sensitive condition and still enable the fingers to be readily employed.

Such feel gloves or mittens are provided with a flaplike closure for the opening which provides somewhat of a closure therefore but the flap does not effectively close the opening and in an effort to overcome this problem, snap fasteners and slider type fasteners such as zippers have been employed to close the opening. However, such fastening arrangements have proven unsatisfactory inasmuch as it is still necessary to use the opposite hand to open the slit-like opening in the palm of the glove by grasping the slider of the zipper closure or grasping the snap"fastener arrangement and separating the male and female components thereof thus resulting in delays and reducing the effectiveness of the feel glove or mitten.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a flap type closure for the slit-like opening together with a holddown or fastener assembly for the-free edge portion thereof which will retain the flap in closed overlying relation to the slit-1ike opening but yet enable the flap to be readily disengaged around a portion of its periphery so that the flap can be opened by the fingers to be projected through the opening by exerting pressure on the flap from the interior of the glove or mitten thereby completely eliminating the necessity of grasping or opening the flap by using the opposite hand thereby eliminating delays and awkward situations since the opposite hand can be used to continue to firmly hold a pm or other instrumentality while the wearer of the glove or mitten incorporating the present invention therein may quickly and easily project his fingers through the opening, engage the flap and by exerting pressure thereon cause separation of the holddown or fastening assembly in a rapid and eflicient manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved and novel glove or mitten as defined in the preceding object in which the flap and the underlying portion of the periphery of the slit-like opening are provided with interengaging strip-like areas of material known as Velcro.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a glove or mitten in accordance with the preceding objects which is simple in construction, easy to use, effective in retaining the flap in closed position and generally inexpensive to manufacture.

3,299,441 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a mitten constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating the fingers projected through the slit-like opening and serving to open the flap; and? FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the flap in completely open condition.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a mitten which has the novel and improved features of this invention incorporated therein. While the invention has been illustrated on a mitten, it is pointed out that it may be employed in a glovestructure as well as a mitten.

The mitten 10 as illustrated includes a front panel 12 which overlies the palm and inner surface of the fingers and a back panel 14 which overlies the back of the hand and the back surface of the fingers. A thumbstall 16 is provided together with a suitable cuff '18 which may he of elastic material or the like. The aforementioned structure of the mitten is completely conventional and the components of the mitten or glove may be constructed of any suitable materials having the necessary warmth characteristics as well as characteristics of flexibility and wearability necessary for the mitten or glove.

The front panel or palm panel 12 is provided with a transversely extending slit-like opening 20 formed therein in an area which enables the terminal end portion of fingers 22 of the wearer to be inserted therethrough for enabling the fingers 22 to perform various functions such as operating the trigger of a gun or the like.

A closure flap 24 is provided for the slit-like opening 20 and has a straight edge 26 secured to the panel 12 by suitable stitching 28 or the like. Attached to the periphery of the flap 24 which is free of the panel 12 and which is rounded as indicated at 30 is a strip of velvet-like material 32 which includes a plurality of loops and is considered the female segment of a Velcro fastening arrangement. Attached to the front panel 12 is a strip of hook-like members 34 which is considered the male segment of the Velcro fastener assembly. The two components 32 and 34 of the fastener assembly extend generally parallel to a portion of the opening 20 when engaged. The strip type fastener assemblies enable the fingers 22 to be more easily ejected through the opening 20.

When the fastener components 32 and 34 are secured together, the flap 24 will form a closure for the opening 20 thus keeping the hand warm and dry. When it is desired to open the flap 24, it is only necessary to extend the fingers 22 out through the opening 20 and engage the interior of the flap 24 and push it outwardly and at the same time push the fingers towards the thumbstall 16 thus disengaging the Velcro components 32 and 34 from each other and enabling the fingers 22 to extend into a free condition without requiring the flap to be opened by using the fingers on the opposite hand.

The Velcro strips may be secured to the flap and panel respectively by stitching or suitable bonding and the width of the strips of fastening material may be varied depending upon the force which can be exerted by the fingers pushing outwardly on the interior of the flap 24.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A hand covering comprising a flexible hand enclosing member including a palm covering panel having a transverse slitlike opening therein, a closure flap having substantially the same flexibility as the panel having one edge secured thereto between the opening and tip of the hand enclosing member with the ot-heredge being free and overlying and closing the slit-like opening, and means releasably retaining the free edge of the fiap alongside of the panel for retaining the flap in closing relation to the opening, said means being openable in response to pressure exerted against the interior of the flap by fingers of the hand Within the hand enclosing member thereby enabling the flap to be opened without employing the fingers on the opposite hand of a person wearing the hand covering, said opening extending substantially across the width of said panel, said I retaining means extending only partially across the width of the panel and flap to enable finger pressure to be exerted on the interior of the flap alongside the retaining means and at points outwardly from both ends thereof to enable easier separation of the retaining means, opening of the flap and ejection of the fingers through said opening, said retaining means securing the flap alongside of the panel including a fastener strip secured to a portion of the inner surface of the flap adjacent the free edge thereof, and a coacting fastener strip secured to the outer surface of the panel generally parallel to the slit-like opening in spaced relation thereto for securing the flap against the panel in closing relation to the opening, said fastener strips and flap each having an arcuate edge disposed remote from the edge of the flap attached to the panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 480,852 8/1892 Kahn 2-158 2,274,335 2/1942 Kennedy 2--l58 2,451,837 10/1948 LaLonde-et al. 2-l58 2,603,790 7/1952 Boehm-Myro 2- 158 3,009,235 11/1961 DeMestral 28-78 X i JORDAN FRANKLIN, PrimaryExaminer.

o G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

